You use silver
every day.

how?

Silver That You Own

ELECTRONICS

Excellent electrical conductivity makes silver the obvious choice for all things with an on button.

photos

Silver halides are still used to process photos in a gelatin process because of their sensitivity to light.

jewelry

Malleable and able to be polished to a high shine, silver has been used to make jewelry for hundreds of years.

Silver Around You

SOLAR PANELS

Solar panels can hold up to 20 grams of silver, powering this alternate form of energy.

GLASS COATINGS

Transparent sliver coatings on windows allow for summer heat to be reflected outward and internal heat kept inside.

COINS

Coins have been minted in silver since the 5th century BCE. Today, silver coins are a popular collector's item.

Silver in Your Body

FILLINGS

Fillings often contain silver along with copper and tin so that the final result has a shiny appearance.

BANDAGES

Silver's antimicrobial properties make it a common ingredient in dressings and ointments to guard against infection.

JOINTS

Silver is used in joint replacements and in prosthetics, guarding from infection and having lubricating properties.

Industrial Silver

Silver is the most versatile metal we know of, having one of the highest electrical and thermal conductivity properties of any metal, as well as antibacterial properties. Because of this, it's responsible for powering quite a bit of our modern world. We need silver to make our gadgets and buildings work, but we pay a high price to extract it from the Earth.

Silver Mining Methods

SURFACE MINING

Soil is removed close to the surface of the Earth in order to reach ore.

UNDERGROUND MINING

Networks of tunnels are created underground to reach ore veins.

IN-SITU MINING

Pumps and chemicals are  used to bring silver ore to the surface.

The Negative Impacts of Mining

on WILDLIFE

Environments need to be deforested before ore is mined. Wildlife remains destroyed for years after mining has stopped.

on PEOPLE

As mining wastes like arsenic and mercury is released into the environment, our water sources become more and more toxic.

on THE ENVIRONMENT

Mercury, cyanide, and arsenic are used in different stages of mining, which leach into soil and water.

Even when the most rigorous mining standards are followed,

All mining is destructive mining.

How do we keep silver powering our world?

watch video

Let's keep using silver without the
harmful effects of mining.

find a recycling center

Recycling benefits you, too!

YOUR HOME

Donating or selling old items with silver you no longer use keeps your home less cluttered and more modern.

YOUR PLANET

Keeping as much silver in out of landfills and used in the new limits mining and makes the Earth a better place for you!

YOUR WALLET

Selling silver to recycling facilities lets you make money off of your old gadgets and silverware sets easily.

Credits

MUSIC "Marty Gots a Plan" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) 
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
VOICEOVER Josh Witty

Sources: Find Out more
Harmful effects of miningMining waste materialFederal mining regulations in the USEthical SilverMining health risks
ERIKA VON KELSCH  MASSART 2016